Thailand Currency Guide
The currency of Thailand and how to prepare for payments — all on one page.
Currency
Thai Baht
THB
Checking rates
Check with your bank app or card issuer before you go
The rate and fees you actually pay differ by bank and card issuer.
Payment Tips to Remember
Always pay in the local currency
If a terminal asks whether to charge in your home currency, always choose the local currency. Choosing your home currency triggers DCC (dynamic currency conversion), which adds a hidden markup.
Set up a travel card before you fly
Prepaid multi-currency travel cards let you convert money in the app beforehand and pay like a debit card locally. Fees are usually lower than cash exchange counters, and you can freeze the card instantly from the app if lost.
Airport exchange counters: last resort
Airport counters are convenient but tend to offer some of the worst rates. If you need cash, exchange via your bank's app before departure or consider withdrawing from a local ATM.
Check ATM fees on screen
Local ATMs may add their own operator fee. Check the fee shown on the confirmation screen before proceeding. If the ATM offers conversion to your home currency (DCC), choosing the local currency is usually better.
Keep some small cash
Every country has places that don't take cards — markets, tips, small transport. Carrying a small amount of cash in separate places keeps you covered.
Cards for Abroad
Explore the Wise multi-currency card
One account holding 40+ currencies, converting and paying at mid-market based rates. Handy for multi-country trips — no need to exchange for each currency separately.
Learn more
Local data
Get an eSIM for Thailand before you go
Activate mobile data with a QR code instead of swapping SIM cards. Buy it before departure and switch it on the moment you land.
Airalo
Yesim
Saily
Drimsim
Check prices and availability on the booking sites.
City Guides in Thailand
Bangkok
Big and busy, but the BTS and MRT make it manageable. Staying near a station saves the most time.
Pattaya
About two hours from Bangkok, often combined with it. Beaches and nightlife within a short strip.
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is northern Thailand's leading cultural city, set on the banks of the Ping River. It's a great place to visit temples such as Doi Suthep and Wat Phra Singh and to enjoy nature at Doi Suthep-Pui National Park.
Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya
Ayutthaya is a city in Thailand's Ayutthaya Province, more commonly known by its short name than its full official one.
Nakhon Ratchasima
Nakhon Ratchasima is the central city of Thailand's northeastern Isan region. It is also the capital of Nakhon Ratchasima Province.
Phuket
Phuket is Thailand's largest island, facing the Andaman Sea. The western beaches—Patong, Karon, and Kata—each have their own atmosphere, and your choice of accommodation shapes the character of your trip. The Phi Phi Islands and Phang Nga Bay are easily visited by boat day tours.